Such Sweet Sorrow

And so we come to the final day of this most extraordinary gathering of laughter and tears, swingin’ music and exuberant dance, going down into the deep grief of the stories behind the music and rising up into the unbridled joy and triumph of this most exceptional American art form—Jazz. In the classroom, each of these 28 beautiful souls witnesses to the beautiful marriage of Jazz and Orff and renewed in their determination to raise the children so they discover both their cultural inheritance and their own musical and humanitarian promise. Then every night—every night!—out on the streets and in the clubs in New Orleans partaking of non-stop music and dance that blows the roof off of our humdrum everyday selves and reveals the shining stars we are meant to be. Last night our “Untalent Show” sharing and led by my forever colleague James Harding, this moving tribute to the tune of “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” It will be hard to say goodbye today, but we all are now connected in unforgettable ways— to each other, to our best selves, to this music, to this city, to the true history and promise of this country. May we meet again!!